Senate Passes Curfew Bill For Anyone Under Age 16

TALLAHASSEE -- It could be lights out for young Floridians` night life.

The Senate on Thursday passed a bill (SB 110) that imposes a curfew on anyone under age 16.

It was approved 21-14, after initially being rejected on a tie vote. Sen. Jim Scott, R-Fort Lauderdale, was the only local legislator who supported the curfew.

On school nights, youngsters would have to be home by 11 p.m. and could not be seen back on the streets until 6 a.m. On weekends, the curfew hours would be 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. Parents could give permission for their children to be out during those hours.

``I don`t think it`s harsh. It`s very liberal,`` said Sen. Malcolm Beard, R- Seffner, a former Hillsborough County sheriff who sponsored the bill. ``This is one little thing to get their attention.``

Police officers would have the authority to detain any young teens who are caught roaming the streets during the curfew hours.

There would be no penalty for getting caught out after-hours. However, police officers could choose to take a child home or to a police station to await the parents.

``This is the kind of thing that nibbles away at the one thing we cherish the most -- democracy,`` said Sen. Peter Weinstein, D-Coral Springs. ``We`re making all of those good kids suffer for the acts of a very few.``

Sen. Howard Forman, D-Hollywood, said, ``I think law enforcement has a lot more to worry about than an errant kid coming home late.``

Both Hawaii and West Virginia have similar youth curfew laws.

The bill faces an uphill battle in the House, where no similar measure exists.

Beard acknowledged he only hoped to make a slight dent in juvenile crime with the curfew.

But he also included in the bill a provision that any juvenile who has committed a felony could have his or her name and address published. Currently, that only can be done in certain circumstances when the person who broke the law is 16 or older.

In Florida, juveniles committed 500,000 crimes last year.

Public branding of youngsters as criminals was as controversial with senators as the curfew.

``Almost every single child grows up making a mistake,`` said Sen. Donald Sullivan, R-St. Petersburg.

But Sen. James Hargrett, D-Tampa, harkened back to his youth, when his parents knew who were the ``bad kids`` in the neighborhood and told their children to keep away from them.

Hargrett said there are plenty of children under 16 who are committing serious crimes such as rape and robbery and that they deserve to be ostracized.

``When you live in a neighborhood with a rapist ... you ought to know who that rapist is regardless of his age,`` he said.